


maybe christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more

by theafterimages



Category: GOT7
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-26
Updated: 2015-12-26
Packaged: 2018-05-09 12:09:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5539448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theafterimages/pseuds/theafterimages
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Life in Whoville is downright idyllic, which means that when Jinyoung shuffles into the kitchen he does little more than make a quiet sound of inquiry at the sight of someone dressed like Santa stuffing his family’s Christmas tree up the chimney. (How the Grinch Stole Christmas AU)</p>
            </blockquote>





	maybe christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more

**Author's Note:**

> _How The Grinch Stole Christmas_ is, obviously, owned entirely by... well, whoever owns it. Not me, is the point.

  
Every Who down in Whoville, the tall and the small, is tucked in their beds, dreaming of morning singalongs and Christmas trees full of presents. Except Jinyoung Who (who is twenty-and-two); for once he can’t quite sleep, tossing and turning in opposite time from the rest of his family. 

He’s just forced himself to close his eyes again when he hears a series of _clink_ s, quiet but getting gradually closer. His eyes shoot open again despite himself. Light from the half-open doorway reveals that a Christmas tree ornament has rolled into the room, coming to a stop just two steps away from Jinyoung’s side of the bed.

Curious as to how it could have happened, he carefully gets out of bed and picks the ornament up, then pads out of the room. The bright red bauble doesn’t belong on the bedroom floor, after all. Since Jinyoung helped decorate the tree this year, as always, he knows exactly which branch it should be hanging from. 

But first, he decides, a glass of water sounds just right.

Life in Whoville is downright idyllic, which means that when Jinyoung shuffles into the kitchen he does little more than make a quiet sound of inquiry at the sight of someone dressed like Santa stuffing his family’s Christmas tree up the chimney.

He knows right away that it’s not the real Santa Claus. Ever since he was a tiny Who, Jinyoung had always been told that Santa is old and white-haired, but when this person turns around Jinyoung can see that he looks like he’s Jinyoung’s own age—and he’s very handsome, Jinyoung can’t help but notice even as the man’s face goes from scowling to bewilderment to an unsteady smile.

“Why are you taking our Christmas tree?” Jinyoung asks.

The man hesitates, looking from Jinyoung to the tree and back again repeatedly until suddenly his expression clears. “There’s a light that won’t light on one side,” he explains, setting it down and taking a step closer to Jinyoung. “I’m taking it to fix back at the workshop, and then I’ll bring it back here.”

“But why? You’re not Santa Claus.”

“I’m—one of his helpers. He’s very busy, you know, with all those presents.”

“Oh, you’re one of Santa’s elves? I didn’t know they were tall. Or green.”

“Well. We are.” The man’s smile still looks a little strange, like he’s not used to making it. Which is funny, since Jinyoung would have thought people who worked with Santa Claus would smile all the time. “Shouldn’t you be in bed?”

“I can’t sleep,” Jinyoung explains with a small sigh. He walks over to the cabinet as he talks, setting the ornament he’s been carrying on the counter and pulling out a cup. “I’m going to have some water. Would you like some?” He reaches for a second cup, even as the man hurries over to his side.

“I’ll pour it for you,” he says, taking the cup from Jinyoung. 

“Thank you,” Jinyoung says in surprise, watching as Jaebum goes to the refrigerator. He opens and shuts the door quick as a flash, then sets about pouring the water. “I’m Jinyoung. What’s your name?”

The man’s eyes are wide as his head snaps up and he stares at Jinyoung. “I’m Jaebum,” he says at last.

“I’m glad I got to meet you!” Jinyoung tells him.

Even though it’s still clearly unsure, Jaebum’s smile is still one of the nicest things Jinyoung’s ever seen.

He knows Jaebum needs to get back to Santa Claus’s workshop to start work on the tree, but Jinyoung’s not ready to let his newfound friend leave just yet. Instead he insists that Jaebum pour himself a cup of the eggnog Jinyoung’s family made that evening, and chatters on about the previous Christmas, though no matter how hopefully Jinyoung asks Jaebum won’t tell him which gifts he’d helped Santa make. 

“Did you see the croquet set I got last year?” he asks. When Jaebum shakes his head, Jinyoung takes his hand. “I’ll show you, come on.”

There’s something different about Jaebum’s eyes now, Jinyoung realizes briefly as he leads him through the hallway. They look… softer, somehow.

He promptly forgets all about that when he reaches the living room doorway, stopping dead at the sight of now completely bare room.

“Did you have to fix all the decorations, too?” he asks Jaebum blankly.

Jaebum hesitates. Then he starts talking.

(Jinyoung and Jaebum spend the rest of the night unloading Jaebum’s half-full sled, supervised by one of the village cats, Nora, who goes from being curled on one of the bags to following closely at Jaebum’s heels, taking to him as quickly as Jinyoung had. Wrongs righted and with a heart three times bigger, Jaebum never goes back to his mountain peak, soon so thoroughly a part of Jinyoung’s life that it was like he’d always been in Whoville.)  


**Author's Note:**

> This is one of this year's holiday ficlet requests fills.
> 
> Thank you to S for betaing! And thank you so much to all of you who have been reading my works this year. I hope you've enjoyed them, and that you will enjoy these. ♥ Happy Holidays!!


End file.
